Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/696

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678 MITCHELL dnction in 1870 was 6,250 bushels of Indian corn. The value of live stock was $56,377. Capital, Beloit. MITCHELL, Donald Grant, an American author, born in Norwich, Conn., in April, 1822. He graduated at Yale college in 1841, travelled in Europe, studied law in New York, and in 1847 published, under the pseudonyme of " Ik Mar- vel," "Fresh Gleanings, or a New Sheaf from the Old Fields of Continental Europe." He was in Europe in 1848, and wrote "The Bat- tle Summer" (New York, 1849). This was succeeded by a satirical work entitled "The Lorgnette," which appeared anonymously (2 vols., 1850). In the same year appeared " The Reveries of a Bachelor," and in 1851 his "Dream Life." In 1853 he became United States consul at Venice, in 1855 returned, and has since resided on his farm of " Edge wood," near New Haven. He was for some time as- sociate editor of the "Hearth and Home," New York, and has frequently appeared as a lecturer. His later publications are : "Fudge Doings" (2 vols., 1854); "My Farm of Edge- wood" (1863); "Wet Days at Edgewood" (1864); "Seven Stories, with Basement and Attic" (1864); "Doctor Johns" (2 vols., 1866); "Rural Studies" (1867); and "Pic- tures of Edgewood" (fol., 1869). MITCHELL, Elisha, an American chemist, born at Washington, Litchfield co., Conn., Aug. 19, 1793, died on the Black mountains in North Carolina, June 27, 1857. He graduated at Yale college in 1813, and in 1818 became professor of mathematics in the university of North Car- olina, and in 1825 of chemistry. In 1821 he was ordained a Presbyterian minister. He was for some time state surveyor. He first ascertained that the mountains of North Caro- lina are the highest east of the Rocky moun- tains. (See BLACK MOUNTAINS.) To settle some disputed points in regard to these heights, he reascended them in 1857, lost his way at night, fell down a precipice, and was killed. MITCHELL. I. John Kearsley, an American phy- sician, born at Shepherdstown, Jefferson co., Va., May 12, 1798, died in Philadelphia, April 4, 1858. He was educated in Scotland, grad- uated M. D. at the university of Pennsylvania in 1819, made three voyages to China as ship's surgeon, and in 1822 began to practise medi- cine and teach physiology in Philadelphia. In 1826 he became professor of chemistry in the Philadelphia medical institute, in 1833 in the Franklin institute, and in 1841 of the theory and practice of medicine in the Jefferson med- ical college. He published "Indecision, and other Poems" (Philadelphia, 1839), " On the Cryptogamous Origin of Malarious and Epi- demical Fevers " (1849), and several popular scientific lectures. After his death appeared a selection from his papers entitled " Five Es- says," &c. (1858). II. S. Weir, an American physician, son of the preceding, born in Phila- delphia, Feb. 15, 1829. He graduated at Jef- ferson medical college in 1850. His earlier researches were chiefly in toxicology, and are especially authoritative on the venom of ser- pents. His later writings have been almost entirely devoted to diseases of the nervous system. He has published, with G. R. More- house, M. D., an<i W. W. Keen, M. D., " Gun- shot Wounds and other Injuries of the Nerves " (Philadelphia, 1864), and "Injuries to Nerves, and their Consequences " (1871) ; and he has also made numerous contributions to scientific journals, including "Experimental Researches relative to Corroval and Vao, American Ar- row Poisons," with W. A. Hammond, M. D. ("American Journal of Medical Sciences," 1859); " Toxicological Study of Ordeal Poi- sons, Sassy Bark " (" Charleston Medical and Surgical Journal," 1859) ; " Researches on the Venom of the Rattlesnake " (" Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge," 1860) ; "Treat- ment of Rattlesnake Bites" ("North Ameri- can Medical and Chirurgical Review," 1861) ; " On the Circulation in Chelonura Serpentina" (" Memoirs of the American Philosophical So- ciety," 1862); "Arsenical Albuminuria " ("New York Medical Journal," 1865); "Antagonism of Atropia and Morphia," with Drs. Morehouse and Keen ("American Journal of the Medical Sciences," 1865) ; " Palsy from Peripheral Irri- tations " (" New York Medical Journal," 1866) ; " Production of Spasms from Cold to the Skin" ("American Journal of the Medical Sciences," two papers, 1867-'8) ; and "Exper- imental Contributions to the Toxicology of Rattlesnake Venom" ("New York Medical Journal," 1868). MITCHELL, Maria, an American astronomer, born in Nantucket, Aug. 1, 1818. She derived from her father, who taught a school in Nan- tucket, a fondness for astronomy, and by her intelligence in the use of instruments and her mathematical attainments soon became an en- thusiastic cooperator in his labors. Subse- quently she made many careful observations by herself, and devoted much time to the ex- amination of nebulso and the search for comets. On Oct. 1, 1847, she discovered a telescopic comet, for which she received a gold medal from the king of Denmark. She has been employed in observations connected with the coast survey and in compiling the nautical almanac. She is a member of the American association for the advancement of science, and was the first female member of the Amer- ican academy of arts and sciences. In 1865 she was appointed to the chair of astronomy in Vassar college, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. MITCHELL, Sir Thomas Livingstone, a British engineer, born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, in 1792, died near Sydney, Australia, Oct. 5, 1855. He joined the British army in the peninsula in 1808, attained the rank of major, and made mil- itary maps of the peninsular battle fields. In 1827 he was appointed deputy surveyor general of eastern Australia, and ultimately surveyor general, which office he held till his death. He conducted four expeditions into the interior of